Question:
Recently my water
bills appear to be rather high. None of
the faucets appear to leak. What else
could contribute to a high water bill?
Answer:
You may want to check to see if a toilet
is leaking. First, check the water level
to ensure that water is not overflowing
the tank by way of the overflow pipe.
This is the pipe in the middle of the
tank. It has a small tubing connected to
it. If water is running into the
overflow, adjust the fill valve to stop
the flow approximately 1inch below the
top of the overflow tube or to the water
level mark stamped on the side of the
tank. Second, put a few drops of food
coloring into the tank to test the flush
valve mechanism. If the water in the
bowl changes color within 15 minutes,
this is an indication that water is
leaking into the toilet bowl and that
the ball or flapper needs to be
replaced.
Question:
How often should I have my septic system
inspected?
Answer:
Septic systems should be inspected and
pumped a minimum of once every three to
four years. You may not be experiencing
any problem now, but a full septic tank
may allow unwanted solids to flow into
the drain field, which is the part of
the system that consists of a
distribution box, with a series of
connected pipes. Each pipe allows water
to flow into a bed of stone, that drains
into the ground. If paper and other
solids flow into the drain field it
becomes blocked and ineffective. A
blocked drain field is costly to repair
or replace.
Question:
The
temperature of my hot water seems to be
higher than what I think I need. How can
I conserve energy, yet also be sure that
there is an adequate amount of hot
water?
Answer:
Most people are comfortable with their
hot water set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit,
which is also the new standard that
manufacturers use when pre-setting it at
the factory. If you have an older model,
set the thermostat at medium. On a gas
model, there is a dial on the front of
the gas valve. On electric models, the
thermostats (there may be two) are
concealed behind the two panels on the
side of the tank. NOTE:
Turn off the
electricity before removing the panels.
There are exposed wires behind the
panels containing HIGH VOLTAGE.
Question:
I have a foul odor
coming from my garbage disposer. What
can I do to eliminate this odor?
Answer:
Foul odors occur from a buildup of food
debris within the disposer. To eliminate
this odor, place ice cubes and lemon or
orange peels in the disposer and run for
30 seconds. Next, squirt a little liquid
dish detergent into the disposer while
it is still running. Finally, run cold
water for about 30 seconds to rinse all
the debris away.
Question:
I am getting a foul odor from a bathroom
in the basement. We hardly ever use this
bathroom except when we have company.
This is embarrassing. What can we do?
Answer:
Plumbing systems are designed to prevent
foul odors from entering the house by
means of the trap attached to fixtures.
Traps contain water to seal out foul
odors; if the water seal evaporates, the
odors enter the house. To solve this
problem, pour a bucket of water in each
trap, sink, shower and floor drain. This
will prevent the odors from entering the
house.
Question:
We live in northern Ohio. Winters are
cold and we were told to turn off the
outside faucets in the fall before the
freezing weather arrives. We did this,
however the pipes leading to our outside
faucet still froze and broke. What did
we do wrong?
Answer:
Turning off the water is not enough. You
must also disconnect the garden hose
connected to the faucet to allow the
water in the pipe to drain out. This
will allow the piping to withstand the
cold weather.
Question:
My shower head and faucet aerators have
a buildup of a white substance around
the area where the water comes out. Is
there anything I can do other than
replacement?
Answer:
The unsightly buildup is mineral
deposits. To remove these deposits from
the showerhead, take a plastic bag and
pour a cup of vinegar in it. Place the
bag over the showerhead and use a twist
tie to hold it in place overnight. In
the morning, remove the bag and use an
old toothbrush to gently scrub the
deposits off. You might be able to
remove the aerators from the faucets and
allow them to soak in the vinegar
overnight.
Question:
Our kitchen drain has taken longer than
usual to drain during the past year.
Should we have it cleaned?
Answer:
Before you have the drain cleaned, try
using something like Liquid Plumber
drain maintenance products. These
products are designed to remove the
usual buildup of soap scum, grease and
hair.
Question:
When I am in the laundry room and the
water heater is operating, I hear a
rumbling sound coming from the water
heater. What could cause this?
Answer:
Rumbling sounds coming from a water
heater are an indication that sediment
is built up on the bottom of the water
heater. What you are hearing is water
that is trapped in the sediment and is
boiling. This is an indication that the
water heater is not operating
efficiently. Sediment will not allow the
heat to transfer to the water in the
tank, which sends the heat up the flue.
You may
try draining a few gallons of water off
the bottom of the water heater tank.
This is done by attaching a drain hose
to the valve at the bottom of the tank.
Allow it to drain for about five
minutes.
WARNING:
HOT WATER IS DANGEROUS. DISCHARGE THE
WATER INTO A FLOOR DRAIN, LAUNDRY TUB OR
BATHTUB. HOT WATER WILL KILL YOUR GRASS
IF DISCHARGED ONTO THE LAWN. HOT WATER
WILL CRACK A TOILET BOWL IF DISCHARGED
INTO THE TOILET.
Many
newer models of water heaters have a new
feature that prohibits the buildup of
sediment in the tank. If your heater is
an older model, it may be cost effective
to replace the water heater if the
buildup is severe.
Question:
I am hearing a whistle sound that seems
to be connected to the plumbing system.
It comes and goes at times, but I can't
find the cause of it. What could cause
this?
Answer:
The sound you are describing is usually
caused by a toilet fill valve that is
slowly leaking. To locate the offending
toilet, remove the lid of each toilet
tank and adjust the fill valve mechanism
until it stops. Once you have found the
toilet causing the problem, repair or
replace the fill valve.
Question:
We need to replace a toilet in our home.
We have heard coworkers and friends
complain that the new toilets do not
flush properly, and that they require
multiple flushes. What is the
recommendation for toilet replacement?
Answer:
When the federal government mandated
that new toilets use no more than 1.6
gallons per flush, manufacturers had to
develop a toilet that would achieve this
but that would also flush properly
(clear the bowl) and carry the waste to
the city sewer or septic system. Some of
the early models did not do this
properly. Since then, the complaints
have forced the manufacturers to develop
new ways of flushing toilets. One new
way is the use of a pressurized toilet
tank. This model looks like a regular
toilet, but it has a pressure tank
inside. When flushed, it works like a
commercial toilet. A large surge of
water enters the bowl and clears the
bowl of any waste. These toilets work
well, but are not as quiet as a
conventional model.
When
considering a new fixture for your home
such as a toilet, I recommend you choose
a fixture made by one of the major
manufacturers, such as American
Standard, Kohler or Eljer.
Question:
There are four people in our house, two
adults and two teens. We are constantly
running out of hot water. After a
five-minute shower, the water starts to
turn cold. This change occurred quite
recently. Help!
Answer:
There are two possibilities. First, the
dip tube has broken off. This is a tube
that forces incoming water to the bottom
of the tank so that hot water will be
drawn off of the top. When the dip tube
breaks, cold water entering the tank
mixes with the hot water and cools it
down. This can occur in both gas and
electric models.
Second,
if your water heater is electric, the
lower element that heats the water may
not be operating properly, thus only the
upper half of the tank will heat up. The
cause of this problem could be a bad
element or a thermostat malfunction.
This type of problem should be evaluated
by a qualified technician.
Question: I have a foul odor coming from my garbage disposer. What can I do to eliminate this odor?
Answer: Foul odors occur from a buildup of food debris within the disposer. To eliminate this odor, place ice cubes and lemon or orange peels in the disposer and run for 30 seconds. Next, squirt a little liquid dish detergent into the disposer while it is still running. Finally, run cold water for about 30 seconds to rinse all the debris away.
